HOW TO PUT TOGETHER A TEAM
SECTION 5 - THE HIRAM'S HANDBOOK
The most important decision made by a Master for his year is the
selection of the people who are going to help him throughout the year. In many
cases, the decision is taken lightly and the resulting performance is poor.
Successful Masters only select and appoint those who are willing to sacrifice
the time and energy required to achieve the goals established by the Lodge.
Unsuccessful Masters usually continue the appointments of the preceding year
with little thought as to the anticipated results.
Consider your past and/or present experiences with your own
profession and then equate them with your staffing requirements for the Lodge.
The staffing for a private company or corporation is not left to chance.
Positions are created, job descriptions formulated, employment standards written
and then people are recruited with the abilities to complete the required
assignments. Should it be any different for the many differing positions within
your Lodge?
The Master has sole discretion to appoint all committee
chairmen, committee members and junior non-elected officers. Use this power
wisely and with consideration as to what you wish accomplished during your year.
Simply to copy that which has come before you is a disservice to you, your Lodge
and its membership. This is your time to infuse your Lodge with fresh ideas and
new enthusiasm
When making officer appointments, you have essentially
dictated who will inherit the leadership positions within the Lodge in the
future years. Utilize input from the present Lodge officers and discuss fully
the capabilities of each potential candidate in fulfilling the requirements of
present and future offices.
Discuss fully with those under consideration exactly what
their duties will be and the magnitude of the commitment that is expected from
them and their families., now and into the future. Finally, make each decision
carefully with full consideration of the requirements that are mandatory to
successfully lead the Lodge during the ensuing years. It is far better to leave
a position vacant than to appoint one who is not capable of the important duties
that await those who ascend to the East.
Some believe it is difficult to find members to fill the
required offices and that a warm body is better than nothing. Keep in mind that
you are offering a man an opportunity to improve himself as well as serve his
lodge. Organizations become successful by diligent attention to their staffing
requirements. You must do the same to build a successful Lodge. Here are some
helpful hints on officer recruitment:
1. As a Junior Officer, be continually evaluating the entire
membership for those who show leadership potential.
2. Begin discussions early with those selected few who share
your vision of the Lodge’s future potential.
3. Involve them in the meetings which are developing the
Lodge’s goals and objectives.
4. Solicit their input on solutions to the various problems
that have been identified within the Lodge. They already know what those
problems are, so only talk about how they are going to be resolved.
5. Create an air of excitement about the prospects of your
year and the future of the Lodge. Instill within them a desire to be a part of
your winning team and ultimately become the coach. We, regrettably, only support
those who are winners, so it is up tQ you to develop your team, set your goals
and produce a winner for both ths season and, future years.
6. Maintain a positive attitude about all aspects of Lodge
leadership. A “can do -will do” instead of a “can’t do - won’t do”
attitude will attract many interested individuals. Everyone wants to be a part
of a winning team and no one loves a loser.
7. Explain, in real terms, what will be accomplished during
the next year and what their role will be in achieving success. Additionally,
point out that building a successful lodge is not a one year process and that
the planning process will require excellent leadership in future years. There
will be many exciting projects remaining for their year in the East.
8. If they agree to join your team, make a commitment to stand
by them during their year to assist in achieving their goals and objectives of
the Lodge. Recruitment for your team starts with your initial appointment to the
progressive line of officers. If you wait until the last moment, you will field
a team of substitutes instead of the required 1st string.
Start with a fresh slate. Decide which committees are
required to implement your program for the year. Talk to the membership about
the qualities that are required to accomplish the envisioned tasks. Select a few
Brothers who express an interest and appoint them. Fully brief them on what your
requirements for the specific assignments are. Once you have selected your teams
for the differing committees, follow up your previous conversations with a
written description of their duties and responsibilities together with
preliminary time frames which you think reasonable to accomplish those tasks.
A huge untapped resource of manpower available within many
Lodges is the Masonic family i.e., the wives and children of members in addition
to the membership within the concordant bodies of your temple. Develop positive
relations with your total Masonic family and utilize their resources to develop
not only your Lodge, but the family as a whole. You need them and, more
importantly, they need a successful Lodge from which to expand their membership
and achieve their goals. It’s a “‘no lose” situation. The more people
who are involved in your activities, the more successful your Lodge will be.
Recognize the concordant bodies within your temple or in your
area by including them into your planning process. Hold periodic, but frequent,
meetings with their leadership and involve them and their membership in
achieving the goals and objectives of your Lodge. It is far better to ask their
participation and assistance than to ignore their specific problems and create
resentment.
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